My 1972 Coupe is only that because the VIN plate on the windshield post says so. Everything else about it is 1969. Somebody is messing with my head. The car was repainted in 1985 apparently and a new engine with the HP supposedly being raised from 350 to 400. I wastold to look on the topside of the frame behind the left rear wheel to find the VIN stamped there but I don't find anything. Is there anywhere else? Can anyone look at the numbers I have found and give any hint to find the original VIN of my 1969 Vette? The pictures etc can be seen at www.yardleyfarms.com/corvette.htm  

Sounds like you've got a problem, especially if law enforcement ever takes a look at the VIN. How is the car registered? As a '69. or a '72?
You can find one of the hidden VIN stamps on top of the frame rail, just behind the driver side rear tire, right about where the rear body mount is. You may need to do some cleaning in the area, and you'll need a mirror, and strong flashlight(or other good light source) to see the stamp. If there is a lot of paint on the frame, you may not be able to see it without scrapping the paint.


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I see by your title that the car is has been titled in both Indiana and Florida as a 1972. The vin tag definately matches the vin# on the titles. I agree with Joel that you have a problem with the DMV. I sincerely hope that you're not the vivtim of a chop shop. Please keep us informed as to what you find out. Good Luck!!

there are no legal issues at this point. Maybe when the first title was issued with the 1972 VIN there might be an issue but since then its all legal and correct. However, as a purist, this car is a 1969 though and through. Everything, not just a few parts. Is there anywhere else that the VIN could be found? I would rather avoid having to take the body off the frame so as to look under the driver side seat upper frame. The transmission numbers might offer a clue? the engine I think is a '76 but I am not certain. The spectre of a chop shop is there of course. We wonder what became of the '69 that 90% of this car is? what happened to the rest of the '72 car that it purports to be? Its hard to believe that someone would purposefully change a '69 to be  a '72 unless trying to hide something. I can understand going the other way for various reasons. Either way its tampering with a VIN which is a Federal Crime.

You won't have to take the body off the frame in order to retrieve the serial number. All you'll need is  some sandpaper, a good light and maybe a mirror. It's possible that someone had a salvage title for a 69 and set it on a 72 frame that they had a good title for.

after much effort, we have uncovered the original VIN on the rear frame: 194379S714476

[QUOTE=apostoln]after much effort, we have uncovered the original VIN on the rear frame: 194379S714476[/QUOTE]

and the transmission matches that VIN number (see www.yardleyfarms.com/corvette.htm where I have posted the pictures etc). Now comes the issue of what to do about it? How does one get a vehicle re-VINed? where can one get VIN info from before 1981 where only 13 digits were used? What happened to the vehicle that had the current 1972 VIN as in where is the body and frame of that vehicle now? what does the record show happened to the vehicle with my VIN?  Who and why was this switch done to begin with?